A Structure-Guided Kinase-Transcription Factor Interactome Atlas Reveals Docking Landscapes of the Kinome

Abstract

AbstractProtein kinases orchestrate cellular processes through phosphorylation, yet the structural basis for their specific binding partner interactions remains largely unmapped. Here, we present a structure-guided atlas of the human and Drosophila kinome, built by applying a new interface-aware scoring framework (iLIS) to AlphaFold-Multimer predictions. The resulting atlas recapitulates hallmark sequence preferences, confirms previously reported and functionally related protein-protein interactions, and uncovers unrecognized docking interactions. Notably, our analysis predicts a potentially widespread docking motif on homeodomain transcription factors that mediates interactions with basophilic kinases. Furthermore, we map putative allosteric interaction hotspots across the kinome and provide proof-of-concept evidence that targeting these surfaces can inhibit kinase activity. Finally, we demonstrate the physiological utility of the atlas by identifying a novel regulatory mechanism between Sgg/GSK3 and Hnf4 that controls lipid metabolism in vivo. This resource provides a blueprint for dissecting signaling networks and for the rational design of docking-site-specific kinase modulators.